Three row condenser with high efficiency flow path

Abstract

A three row condenser for cooling alternative refrigerants for use in automotive air conditioning systems has a continuously formed U-bend tube forming the air inlet to the condenser at a point upstream of second and third rows of like tubes each interconnected by parallel heat conducting cooling fins; the high pressure vapor inlet flow to the condenser is substantially equally distributed into the first, second and third rows and refrigerant flow in the first and second rows of tubes is combined upstream of the outlet of the condenser to provide a series connected tube pattern for increasing the flow velocity through outlet portions of the first and second rows of tubes so as to improve the efficiency of energy transfer between the refrigerant flow through the condenser and the air flow across the air fins therein.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A three row condenser for an automotive air conditioning system longitudinally extending between first and second ends, and having first, second and third rows of continuously bent tubes interconnected by cross fins, each connected to said first, second and third rows of continuously bent tubes, each of said first, second and third rows of continuously bent tubes having an inlet tube and an outlet tube; a multipronged inlet fitting adapted to connect a high pressure vapor side of a refrigerant system in an automobile air conditioning system to the inlet tubes and a multipronged outlet fitting connected to the outlet tubes of said first, second and third rows of continuously bent tubes characterized by: said first row of continuously bent tubes located in the air flow of a vehicle at an air inlet end of the condenser at a point upstream of the second and third rows of continuously bent tubes;   the third row of continuously bent tubes located at the air outlet side of the condenser;   at least one of said rows bent tubes continuously extending between the first and second ends directing refrigerant flow only within said row between the ends;   a cross over tube connecting said first row of continuously bent tubes to the second row of continuously bent tubes between the inlet and outlet tubes thereof for causing the refrigerant flow through the first and second rows to be combined prior to discharge thereof through the outlet fitting of the condenser; and means to combine said third row of tubes to the first and second rows prior to discharge of liquid refrigerant therein through the outlet fitting of the condenser.   
     
     
       2. A three row condenser for an automotive air conditioning system having first, second and third rows of continuously bent tubes interconnected by cross fins, each connected to said first, second and third rows of continuously bent tubes, each of said first, second and third rows of continuously bent tubes having an inlet tube and an outlet tube; a multipronged inlet fitting adapted to connect a high pressure vapor side of a refrigerant system in an automobile air conditioning system to the inlet tubes and a multipronged fitting connected to the outlet tubes of said first, second and third rows of continuously bent tubes characterized by: said first row of continuously bent tubes located in a air flow of the vehicle at an air inlet end of the condenser at a point upstream of the second and third rows of continuously bent tubes;   the third row of continuously bent tubes located at the air outlet side of the condenser;   a cross over tube connecting said first row of continuously bent tubes to the second row of continuously bent tubes between the inlet and outlet tubes thereof for causing the refrigerant flow through the first and second rows to be combined prior to discharge thereof through the outlet fitting of the condenser; and means to combine said third row of tubes to the first and second rows prior to discharge of liquid refrigerant therein through the outlet fitting of the condenser;   said second row of continuously bent tubes having a plurality of the bent tubes therein directing the combined refrigerant flow from the first and second rows of continuously bent tubes to the outlet fitting and said outlet fitting combining the combined flow of the first and second rows of bent tubes with refrigerant flow through the third row of continuously bent tubes; and a plurality of the continuously bent tubes of the first row of continuously bent tubes directing the combined flow from said outlet fitting to a high pressure liquid side of a refrigerant circuit in an automotive air conditioning system.   
     
     
       3. A three row condenser for an automotive air conditioning system longitudinally extending between first and second ends, and having first, second and third rows of continuously bent tubes interconnected by cross fins, each connected to said first, second and third rows of continuously bent tubes, each of said first, second and third rows of continuously bent tubes having an inlet tube and an outlet tube; a multipronged inlet fitting adapted to connect a high pressure vapor side of a refrigerant system in an automobile air conditioning system to the inlet tubes and a multipronged outlet fitting connected to the outlet tubes of said first, second and third rows of continuously bent tubes characterized by: said first row of continuously bent tubes located in the air flow of a vehicle at an air inlet end of the condenser at a point upstream of the second and third rows of at least one of said rows of bent tubes continuously bent tubes;   the third row of continuously bent tubes located at the air outlet side of the condenser and;   continuously extending between the first and second ends directing refrigerant flow wholly within said row;   a cross over tube connecting said first row of continuously bent tubes to the second row of continuously bent tubes between the inlet and outlet tubes thereof for causing the refrigerant flow through the first and second rows to be combined prior to discharge thereof through the outlet fitting of the condenser; and means to combine said third row of tubes to the first and second rows prior to discharge of liquid refrigerant therein through the outlet fitting of the condenser;   said first and second rows of continuously bent tubes including a plurality of U-bends located in a zig-zag pattern between parallel tube segments of said continuously bent tubes for flow therefrom through to the outlet fitting; and   said outlet fitting combining the refrigerant flow through the third row of continuously bent tubes and the combined flow through said zig-zag pattern of U-bends to direct refrigerant from the condenser to a high pressure liquid side of a refrigerant circuit in an automotive air conditioning system.   
     
     
       4. A three row condenser for an automotive air conditioning system longitudinally extending between first and second ends and having first, second and third rows of continuously bent tubes interconnected by cross fins, each connected to said first, second and third rows of continuously bent tubes, each of said first, second and third rows of continuously bent tubes having end tubes, a multipronged fitting adapted to connect a high pressure vapor side of a refrigerant system in an automobile air conditioning system to the inlet tubes and a second multipronged fitting adapted to connect the first, second and third rows of continuously bent tubes to a high pressure liquid refrigerant conduit characterized by: the first row of continuously bent tubes located in the air flow of a vehicle at an air inlet end of the condenser at a point upstream of the second and third rows of continuously bent tubes;   the third row of continuously bent tubes located at the air outlet side of the condenser; and   at least one of said rows of bent tubes continuously extending between the first and second ends directing refrigerant flow wholly within said row;   a cross over tube connecting one of said rows of continuously bent tubes to another of said rows of continuously bent tubes between the end tubes thereof for causing the refrigerant flow therethrough to be combined prior to discharge therefrom the outlet fitting of the condenser and means including one of said multipronged fittings to combine all of said rows prior to discharge of liquid refrigerant therein through the outlet fitting of the condenser.